Connecter plug



R. J. FEUCHTER CONNECTER PLUG July 9, 1935.

Filed May 26, 1934 grs/umd@ Patented Julyy 9, 1935 i STAT-ES PATENT "OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in connecter plugs for providing a detachable electric source of supply l an improved connecter plug Vhavingv a body formed'of two? lparts' Ijoined 'together by means which ldonot loosen, as do nutsand screws;

Another object ofthis invention Vis toI provide an `improved connecter. plug of maximumf simpli'city of` design and minimum cost of' construction and assembly: Another object of this invention is to `'provide anv improved, connecter plug having improved contacts to avoidarcing and heating."

With'theabove and other objects in View, this invention includes all e improvements over the prior art which Vare disclosed in this application. l In the accompanying drawing in which one way of carrying' outl the invention is lshown for illustrative purposes: l f Y Fig. 1 is a front elevation, with half in central section, of a connecterplug illustrating one einm bodimentl of the invention;

`Fig. 2' is a rightiside elevationl of VFigQl withV vthe locking clip omitted; y

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the lower part of the two-part'body; e

Fig. 4 is atop planviewqfFig. 3; e 1 Fig. 5 is a view similarvto Fig. 1`, ofthe upper part ofthe two-part body; e "Fig, 6 Vis a bottom plan viewof Fig. 5.;

Figfv is a side'eievation of prie of the 'cpu-'- spring contacts l Fig. 9 is afcentral vertical sectional view of the lockingl clips; and

Fig. 110 is Va, left side elevation of the clip shown in Fig. 9. Y

In the description andvclaims, the various parts are identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the prior art will permit.

Referring to the drawing, is the two-part body formed of the upper body part 2| and the lower body part 22,v which two parts are preferof one locking ably formed of insulating material, such for example, as cold molded or BakeliteV composition.

The two body parts 2| and 22 have their respective adjoining surfaces 23 and-2liV abutting `along the plane or surface 25 which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the twopart body 2Q. "The upper body part 2l' has a cylindrical centering recess 26 in which fits a centering lug 21, which latter Vis formed as part 5` of and projects from the lower body part 22.

Connecting with the centering recess 26 is a conductor passage 28, the outer portion ZS-'of which flares'outward or rtapers inward in conical l form, thus minimizing the effect of the Weight l0 of the electric cord or cableon the connecter plug. Upper body part 2| has two housing cavities or recesses 30, 3l on opposite sides of the centering' recesses 26 with the passages 32 connecting the centering recess 26 with the housing 15 recesses. f

The centering lug 2l on the'lower body part` 22 has the two opposite cylindrical surfaces 33A (Fig. 4) of a diameter to t the centering recess 25. -The lug 2 also has two diverging passages 20 34, Awhich in the form illustrated inthe drawing, are formed by concave surfaces of cylindrical form en the lug 21 to form a separating projection 34a to separate the electric wires.

The lower body'part 22 has a pair 'of chambers 25 35, each chamber connecting with anl exit opening of reducedisizegforming ledges 3T.' Pairs of recesses" 38 and 3% are provided in the parts 2| and' 212 respectively. v Y I Each of body parts 2| and 22 has opposite, half- 30k round side lugs 4U and 4l. The lugs Ml form one pair and the lugs M form another pair. Each pair of lugs `Iii and lil provides a conical cliplocking surface l2 (Figs. l and 2) and an oppositely directed conical clip-holding surface 43. 35 Eachlocking clip i4 is preferably made of spring metal', such for-example as spring brass, andis formed -with slots tol provide spring gripping or holding fingers 45 whichy can be forced over the large diameter edge 47 (Fig. 2) of each pair 40 of side lugs Vtio snap into engagement with the conical 'holding surface 43 with the cylindrical locking surface 48 in locking engagementk with the conicalflockingsurface 42- to thus hold each Vpair of side lugs `and the body parts 2i and 22, 45

Vis somewhat longer than illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7., being shortened by compressive engagement between a ledge 31 of lower body part 22 and a portion of surface 23 of upper body part 2|. The lower portion of the coil of each contact member 49 is flared out in the shape of a cone larger than the main portion of the coil in order to facilitate easy entrance of attachment or contact pins of appliances into the coil contacts 49.

At the upper end, each contact 49 is provided with an offset arm 59 which rests in recesses 38, 39, thus preventing contacts V49 from turning. Connected to the looped upper end 5| of each contact 49 by a bolt 52, is an electricwire 53 which extends through passages 32 and 34 to the electric cable 54 of which each electric wire forms a part, the two wires being kept separated by the separating projection 34a.

It will be observed that due to the two body parts being divided along the surface 25, instead of the usual division along a longitudinal surface in the plane of the attachment pins of appliances, which divides the usual body into two thin, weak parts, the` body made according to the present invention has far greater mechanical strength to withstand the bending forces which tend to open the connecter body or housing due to handling in attaching and removing the plug, and due to the weight of the electric cord.

When attachment or contact pins of an electric appliance are forced into the spring contacts 48, the coils of the latter are free to temporarily enlarge or expand to accommodate such attachment pins and at the same time make positive good electric contact along the attachment pins regardless of any angularity or side motion of the connecter plug or the appliance to which it is attached; or varying diameters of attachment pins due to wear or other reasons, thus preventing arcing and heating. When withdrawing the connecter plug from attachment pins, the tension of the contact springs 49 is transmitted to the ledges 3l. When forcing the contact springs 49 on the attachment pins of appliances, the resulting compression is transmitted to the bottom surface 23 of body part 2l.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A connecter plug including: a body formed of two parts, said two parts abutting along a surface extending transversely of said body and having two pairs of locking lugs, the lugs of each pair being adjacent and at a side of the body opposite from the other pair of lugs; and locking clips each locking a pair of lugs together, each locking clip having resilient means for holding it attached to a pair of lugs and relatively rigid means to engage and hold the pair of lugs together.

2. A connecter plug including a body formed of two parts, said two parts abutting along a surface extending transversely of said body and having two pairs of locking lugs, the lugs of each pair being adjacent and at a side of the body opposite from the other pair of lugs; and locking clips each locking a pair of lugs together, each locking clip having resilient means for holding it attached to a pair of lugs andV a relatively rigid ring portion to engage and hold the pair of lugs together.

3. A connecter plug including: a body formed of two parts abutting together and having two pairs of locking lugs, the lugs of each pair being adjacent and at a location opposite and spaced from the other pair of lugs; and locking clips each locking a pair of lugs together, each locking clip having resilient means for holding it attached to a pair of lugs and relatively rigid means to engage and hold the pair of lugs together.

4. A connecter plug including: a body formed of two parts, said two parts adjoining along a plane surface extending transversely of said body; one of said parts having an electric-conductor passage leading to a cylindrical centering recess adjacent said transversely extending surface, and two connection-housing recesses, one on each side of said passage; the other of said parts having a centering lug with cylindrical surface portions fitting the cylindrical surface in said centering recess, and said centering lug having diverging passages leading from said electric-conductor passage to said connectionhousing recesses; and locking means locking said two parts together.

5. A connecter plug including: a body formed of two parts adjoining along a surface extending transversely of said body; one of said parts having two contact chambers each having a reduced exit opening forming a ledge; a continuous integral wire coil contact under endwise compression in each contact chamber and having one l end supported by one of said ledges in one of said parts, and the other end supported by the other of said parts; and locking means locking said two parts together.`

' 6. A connecter plug including: a body formed of two parts, said two parts adjoining along a plane surface extendingV transversely of said body; one of said parts having an electric-conductor passage leading to a cylindrical centering recess adjacent said .transversely extending sur- .l

face; the other of said parts having a centering lug with cylindrical surface portions fitting the cylindrical surface in said centering recess, and said centering lug having diverging passages leading from said electric-conducter passage; and locking means locking said two parts together.

Y ROBERT JOHN FEUCHTER. 

